• the acquisition, research and documentation of significant works of art representative of the major world cultures;
• the preservation of these objects through environmental control, protection from theft and damage, conservation, and restoration;
• presenting an ongoing program of special exhibitions formed out of the museum's and other's collections;
• providing a broad range of educational programs, publications and materials consistent with the above; and
• encouraging community, state and national access, and interest in the collections, exhibitions, programs and publications of the Ball State University Museum of Art.

The Ball State University Museum of Art is accredited by the American Association of Museums.

Class Visits

Group tours of the museum provide viewer-centered discussions that hone descriptive and analytical skills and spark lively conversation. Tours can be designed to fit your group's specific needs and interests, or to relate to current classroom topics. To schedule a group or class visit to the museum:

Contact:
Tania Said, Curator of Education
e-mail: tsaid@bsu.edu
phone: (765) 285-3372

Lead time:
Contact the museum at least two weeks in advance of the desired visit date.

Admission:
There is NO CHARGE for museum admission or tours.

Hours:
Tours can be scheduled Monday – Friday, 9:00 – 4:30.

Self-Guided Visits:
If you would like to bring a group, but do not need a guided tour, please inform us at least one week prior to your visit. (See Contact above.)

Special Needs:
The museum has barrier-free access and special programs for the visually impaired. Please let us know if someone in your group has special needs.

Location:
The Museum is located in the Fine Arts Building, Riverside Ave. at Warwick Rd. The main entrance faces the old quadrangle; new secondary entrance faces Riverside Ave.; staircase leads to the museum level.

Why should I bring my class to the museum?
With approximately 2,000 works of art on display, and 11,000 total in the collection, the Ball State  University Museum  of Art  provides a rich resource that can be utilized to enrich a variety of subjects.  Because of the collection's breadth-with a concentration on European and American art, and representations of most major world cultures-the museum can provide a variety of tours for university classes. University classes in architecture, art, classics, education, English, foreign languages, history, humanities, math, music, speech and theatre visit the museum for tours.

What do we do when we get there?
During a typical museum visit, students participate in an in-depth analytical discussion inspired by works of art in the collection.  Using a teaching  technique designed at the Museum  of Modern Art  in New York, museum staff and trained student volunteers lead discussions using the topic of your class as a catalyst. Designed for beginner and novice viewers, discussions center around what can be discerned in the work of art and how it illuminates the class topic.The technique also enhances analytical and critical thinking skills.

Some examples:
Students in 100-level English classes describe the narrative content of a series of paintings.  Later, students return to select a work and write about it using some of the techniques from the discussion.

A World Literature class visits the museum to study objects from Nigeria while reading a novel by a Nigerian author.

Math 125 classes participate in museum sessions during which they study and discuss how mathematical principles inform the composition of works of art.

Western Civilization classes study how artistic production expressed the ideals and aspirations of Europeans and Americans at various times throughout their history.

Other Events:

           Watch Campus Update or your university e-mail for more information.        

Fridays With Friends
For those 21 and over, the museum offers Friday With Friends, a casual after-work event with museum tours, talks, artist demonstrations, and refreshments. Friday With Friends is scheduled for various Fridays throughout the year from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Art  Card
Available at the museum front desk, the Art Card makes it easy to include museum events as class or extra-credit assignments. Each time participants attend an Art Card event, their cards will be stamped following the event. For attending designated museum events during the academic year, participants receive up to four gifts from the museum: 3 events=free poster; 7 events=free notecards; 10 events=free catalogue; 15 events=free t-shirt.

The Ball State  University Museum  of Art  houses a permanent collection of more than 10,000 original works of art from antiquity to the present.  The museum also hosts temporary exhibitions including the biennial faculty exhibition and the annual student show.

PC users with Microsoft Windows 3.1 or Windows 95 can download the museum's screen saver free of charge from the Museum's Web site (www.bsu.edu/web/cfa/artmuseum/downloads.html).  Each frame displays a work from the art museum's permanent collection, accompanied by a brief description and documentation.